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How to Furnish a Vacation Rental Home

Guesty Vacation Rental Guide

For business-minded short-term property managers, one of the most difficult aspects of the job can be tapping into their creative sides to figure out how to furnish a vacation property in a way that will appeal to guests. 

First step – take a deep breath. You don’t need to spend exorbitant sums of money in order to create an inviting atmosphere with your vacation rental furnishings. You also don’t need to be an interior designer. 

Here are some simple tips to get you through the furnishing process and ensure you assemble a space that will make potential guests take notice.

1) Know your audience

Before you head to the furniture store, you need to determine who you’re catering to. The kinds of guests you want to attract will play a significant role in figuring out how to furnish your short-term rental. 

If you’ve got a sizeable place and want to host families, for instance, you’ll want to make sure to invest in furniture that isn’t delicate, easily-broken or in any way dangerous (no sharp corners). You’ll also need bigger couches and tables to accommodate larger parties. 

When targeting honeymooners or couples on romantic getaways, you’ll need to set the ambiance with a luxurious, hotel-style bed and purchase items like bedside tables in sets of two.

And, of course, if your rentals are in a hot business travel destination, you may want to capitalize on that by adding a nice workspace to your property that you can showcase in your listing photos. 

2) Know your budget

The amount you can invest in furnishing your rental will influence where you shop. If you have a large budget, you can shop at a higher-end furniture store like Pottery Barn or Crate and Barrel. If you’re tight on cash, skip those stores and head to Ikea or even Target. You can also you can mix and match, purchasing a few key pieces at pricier stores to elevate your whole look. 

What’s important to remember is that investing in quality furniture may pay off in the long-run as it will save you from having to replace broken or deteriorated items.

3) Go in with a plan

Furniture stores can be overwhelming with all of their options so your best bet is arming yourself with a comprehensive list of what each room of your rental needs. Take a look around your property and write down the basics – bed, nightstand, closet, bookshelf. Take measurements so you don’t end up getting something too big or small for the space.

Once you’ve purchased everything you need, you can wander around a bit to get those extra trimmings that will help spruce up the place and take it from basic to inviting.

4) Pick a theme

One thing you don’t want to do is pack your property with an assortment of furniture that look like they were pulled from different eras. Pick a general theme, like rustic, classic or modern, and stick to it. Of course, you can add some variation to keep things exciting, but don’t overdo it or it will seem like the property was assembled without any forethought or consideration. 

Unsure which theme to go with? Scroll through Google images for some inspiration. And if you’re really stuck, stores like Ikea do a good job of exhibiting which pieces go well together in their demo rooms. Just purchase a bunch of items from the setups that appeal to you. 

You don’t have to do this alone

If you’re still overwhelmed at the idea of furnishing your property on your own, turn to a solution like Fülhaus, tailored specifically to the needs of short-term property managers. What’s important is that you stick to your budget while achieving a result that will attract both new and returning guests.

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